


Many Eyes of Crystal

by Digigal_transbian



Series: Translucent Pink [5]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Accidental Innuendo, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Corrupted Gems, Crystal Gems, Diamond Authority - Freeform, Diamond Fusion, Eldritch, F/M, Family Reunions, Fear Poofing, First Time Gem Fusion, Forced Gem Fusion, Gem Fusion, Gem Reproduction, Gen, Giant Ladies, Giga Ladies, Homeworld (Steven Universe), Literal world building, Lovecraftian, Magic Diamond Sweat, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, The Cluster forms, The Cluster is basically a demi-god, Worldbuilding, but its not very spicy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:15:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23481571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Digigal_transbian/pseuds/Digigal_transbian
Summary: A collection of short stories centered around exploring the Cluster as a gem.
Relationships: Blue Diamond & Spinel & White Diamond & Yellow Diamond (Steven Universe), Garnet & Steven Universe, Lars Barriga/Emerald, Spinel & Steven Universe, Steven Universe & Yellow Diamond, The Cluster & Steven Universe
Series: Translucent Pink [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718503
Comments: 19
Kudos: 84





	1. At Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cluster throughout the series.
> 
> An exploration of what the Cluster feels and notices during the run of the series.

For thousands of years they laid dormant, settling until they were able to form.

Thousands of gems were shattered. Tens of thousands of shards forced together into an abomination to gemkind.

Five thousand years of dormancy before they were able to awaken and destroy the Earth. That is what Yellow Diamond commanded once.

So they waited.

They didn't want to form, they didn't want to destroy, but Yellow commanded it, so they would do as they were told.

Just as they were soon to form, a small light appeared near them, shining down. Something sharp slammed against their gem(?), their core, hurting it. They tried to push it away but it just kept drilling.

They felt a familiarly unfamiliar pink aura that day. Some of them knew exactly what that aura was, others couldn't place it to save what was left of their gems.

The unfamiliarly familiar gem reached out to them, bubbled some of them, helped them not form. They managed to bubble themselves, bubble their core as a whole so they could not form.

But they were not whole and they knew this.

Time passed, and the ground above them shook. They could sense something bad was happening on the surface, so they left their bubble and formed only an arm. They'd help however she could.

When they broke ground on the surface, they could see(?), sense the cause of the trouble.

Blue Diamond and Yellow Diamond were attacking the Earth.

The Earth where the kind pink gem lived.

That would not do.

They sent their fist towards Yellow's arm ship to keep her distracted, she had faith that the pink gem they could not remember could handle Blue Diamond for long enough.

She destroyed Yellow's ship, a feat they hoped would be able to hinder the Diamond's efforts. It didn't work as intended, Yellow joined the fight against the pink gem and her allies. They weren't able to stay formed for much longer, so they reassured the pink gem before returning to their core.

Until that familiarly unfamiliar pink aura came back, stronger than last time.

The Diamonds stopped their assault, the gems on the surface turned towards the pink gem, and they couldn't shake the feeling that they should know where this aura comes from.

After travelling to a crashed gem ship, the Diamonds left with the pink gem and her friends. A few of the remaining surface gems left some time later. The earth was silent without the gems there. They could feel the gems bubbled in the temple, all of them felt wrong in an indescribable way.

And then the complete Diamond ship landed on earth, White Diamond with them. They don't know who they serve anymore, but they know if White gets involved, it's something serious.

The bubbled gems were moved out of the temple and moved to the outside. One by one, the bubbles popped, but the gems changed. They felt right again, like they were how they should be.

If the gems that felt wrong could feel right again, maybe there was hope for them.

Then the earth was poisoned. A spinel caused it, but eventually the Diamonds came and took the spinel with them. The earth would heal eventually.

Then the pink gem started having some troubles of their own. She felt… sad, awful, disgusting, broken, wrong. They transformed into a monstrous form one day, and even the Diamonds were there to help the situation. 

If the Diamonds are helping regular gems, what's her excuse for not joining them. The pink gem helped her when she needed it, so she'll help the pink gem when she needs it.

She formed her arm and held the pink gem back so the Diamonds and the gems could figure out how to help the pink gem.

The Diamonds, the gems, even three of the native life forms surrounded the pink gem and she became what she was again. A few drops of a familiar essence hit the shifting substance they were all in and they felt slightly different, like their gem was stabilizing to be even stronger, cracks between the shards melded together smoother.

They were glad she was able to help the pink gem become herself again. Eventually they were able to retreat back into their gem, but they felt more stable that time. Like they weren't about to glitch out and fall apart again like the last time the Diamonds got involved. This one felt like it could go on for a little longer.

They noticed they felt a little more whole after that time. They knew they weren't whole, but maybe they were starting to become a new whole. A new gem all their own. Parts of them still longed to be complete as their selves, but other parts felt like this was their new whole forming.

So what if they weren't truly whole. Maybe one day, she could be.

And for that day, she waits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Cluster refers to Steven as She/Her because they can only really feel the gem and the light forms around them. Since she's also not completely there, she can't recognize Pink Diamond's gem, as not all of them met Pink Diamond or felt her powers, so she can't recognize Steven as Steven, only the gem they can't place where they know her from.
> 
> The Cluster can sense the solid objects and gem forms, but she can't fully process new information, so when Steven bubbled some of their shards, they followed suit because all the parts recognized what was happening.
> 
> They feel a little more whole because of Monster Steven's tears infusing the water with Pink Diamond essence. No I do not think Steven corrupted, he shapeshifted. He thought he was a monster, so he became what he thought he was. He was still in there needing to be reminded who he was.
> 
> Next couple chapters explore that semi-processing information a little more.
> 
> I just noticed that every time I write something, it gets slightly longer. Not even trying to do that.


	2. Extraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cluster is freed from the Earth.
> 
> A brief exploration of the Cluster's sense of wholeness.

Steven was communicating with the Cluster in his sleep, as he does every so often. The giant gem cluster might not be all there, but they do seem to be doing better in general ever since they were bubbled.

"Yellow offered to pull you guys out of the Earth and try to put you all back together, isn't that great?" Steven asked the forced fusion.

The cluster went deadly silent.

Strange.

Slowly, a cacophony of voices whispering all together could be heard.

"Out." The Cluster starts, "Together."

"Huh?" Steven was confused, these gems were forced together to make a geo weapon, torn from the rest of their gems. Why would they want to stay together? "Together?"

"Out. Together."

"Why?"

"We are whole." The Cluster states.

☆■☆

Steven woke up confused. The Cluster is whole? What does that mean? The last time he heard them talk about being whole, they were trying to form so they could find their missing pieces. Now they say they're whole, but nothing has changed?

Steven didn't notice he was lost in thought until he tripped down the stairs. He landed face first on the ground, before flopping onto his back. Ouch.

"What's got you so distracted today?" Garnet asked the dazed boy from her position on the couch.

"The Cluster," he starts, "They say they're whole. Last time I heard anything about being whole from them, they weren't. What could they mean?"

Garnet pats the spot next to her on the sofa and beckons Steven over. This is going to be a long, complicated conversation. He gets up from his comfortable place on the floor and takes the seat next to Garnet.

"Sometimes, when you've been with someone for a long time, you start to feel like you can't be complete without them."

"But they were forced together, it's wrong and they should want to be themselves again!" Steven replies, confused and exasperated.

"It is wrong," Garnet pauses, thinking of how to word the next part, "But Steven, the Cluster has been like that for at least five thousand years. Tens of thousands of incomplete shards stuck together like mad puzzle pieces with no hope of finding their original selves. After so long together, alone, don't you think they would have found a new sense of self?"

"For a long time, Ruby and Sapphire couldn't stand to be apart for long amounts of time unless they were having an argument. Would you force them apart?"

"Wha- No!"

"Isn't the Cluster the same? Their identity at this point is 'The Cluster', do you want to take that away from them?"

"I- but- it just-," Steven sighs, "No. I'll call the Diamonds to figure out how to get them out of their little hole without too much damage to everything."

"Them, Steven, or her?"

He doesn't respond. He's not sure how.

☆■☆

On Homeworld, the Diamonds are with Spinel as she tries something she picked up from an Earth show, when a call comes through on the Diamond line. The Diamonds look at each other in confusion, none of them were expecting a call, and it probably isn't Steven, he has every reason to not call.

They answer the call, and Steven appears. With no preamble and straight to the point, Steven begins.

"I talked with the Cluster about you wanting to help them, her?" Steven's face pinches as he looks off to the side unsure, he shakes his head and continues "They want to be removed from the Earth, but they want to stay together. They said they're whole?"

"Whole?" Blue asks.

"What's a cluster?" Spinel asks, having no idea what's happened for the six thousand years she stood in the garden.

Yellow looks away with a staunch look of guilt on her face. 

"Later, Starshine." White places a placating touch on Spinel's head, causing her to squeak like a squeaky toy. "Grief makes a gem do a lot of things they regret later on."

"Anyways, Blue." Steven picks back up, "Yeah, they said they're whole. Garnet said something about being together for so long that they've formed a new identity as the Cluster. I'm not sure what to think of that, but that's not important right now. I'm going to need all of your help getting her out."

"Why of course, Starlight. We'd be thrilled to help you and your friend!"

"The Cluster is huge, how are we going to get them out without destroying the planet?" Yellow asks, slightly skeptical. She wanted to take parts of the Cluster out at a time, separate and organize the mess. Taking the whole thing out all at once? She's not sure how possible that is without destroying the planet.

"Well warp pads are out because of the size, so maybe we could have her form an arm and kind of shield her gem and we could pull her out? With a team of volunteers to help with the damage that's going to cause, if we go slow there might jot be that much damage. Humans don't really live over there anyways so maybe the area could be used for another gem city or something, have the Cluster's hole be a sort of tourist attraction as a relic of Era 2."

"That could work." Blue says gently, "If we put some ships behind the Cluster, they could help push the Cluster out and keep the cavern together."

"Hey Spinel, do you want to help me get volunteers from Little Homeworld?" Steven asks genuinely.

"Do I!" Spinel lights up brilliantly.

☆■☆

A week or so later, with the help of some gems living in Little Homeworld, the extraction was ready to begin. Above the drill hole, the Diamond's body-ship and two gem hand ships sit ready for action. On view screens on the ground, as well as in the two warships, Steven Universe is giving the final briefing.

"Nephrite Facet-413 Cabochon-12, you and Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG are going to be on drilling and rear support. We want to keep the hole as stable as possible so we can maybe make it into an Era 2 historic site, like the consequences of grief."

"Right." Centi and Peridot nod, ready for action. Drills have been attached to the tips of the fingers of their ships so they could actually get down to the Cluster.

"Ground crew, when the hole is drilled out, the Cluster's arm is going to form. When we pull her out, there's going to be ground damage. Your job now is to help stabilize the ground and patch up some damage, keep it from getting too out of control."

There are four ground teams lead by Bismuth, Garnet, Spinel, and Amethyst. Bismuth leads the large structure team with Lapis, Spinel leads the light detail and foresting team as a supervisor, Garnet leads the structural support team, and Amethyst leads the famethyst in general patch up work. Bismuth wipes a tear of pride at how Steven has grown into a fine leader.

"The Diamonds and I will pull her out and get her out near the moon so she absolutely has safe distance to form without destroying anything important. When that's done, we'll come back down here and help the clean up team. Can't build a town on unstable ground."

"Everyone in position?" Steven asks, affirmations roll in from all sides and Steven smiles, "Then Drill Team, whenever you're ready, we'll begin."

The two green hand ships circle each other in perfect synchronization as their drills break ground, first being kicked up and sent off to the sides, where a few gems are already moving it out to the designated piles. The warships drill deep, deeper, yet deeper, until the Cluster's cavern is reached.

As the two ships reach the back of the gem and get in position, it glows and forms her pinkish-purple colored arm and a mass around her gem, reaching through the newly formed hole of sunlight. Yellow's arm grabs the Cluster's hand, Blue's arm grabs the Cluster's wrist, and the Diamonds pull.

The ground shakes as the Cluster slowly is pulled out of her hole.

The Cluster reaches the surface and all the gems that are present pause and look on in shocked awe. They were told the Cluster was large and going to cause some damage, but seeing it is something else. Large doesn't even begin to describe it. The gem fits in the giant Diamond hand ship like a basketball in a human hand.

Slowly but surely, the Cluster emerges and is lifted into the air by the Diamonds. Spinel keeps a distracted, worried eye on the Diamond ship as they leave. Cluster in tow, the Diamonds land on the moon and the earth is safe from it ever causing destruction by forming.

The Diamonds return to Earth, exit their ship and begin helping out with the clean up process. Blue uses her clouds to help gems reach difficult areas, Yellow gives gems extra strength as they need it, and White uses her mimicry power to help gems with her large size.

And Steven was proud of how far they all have come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steven refers to Centi and Peridot by their full designations because A.) Serious situation, B.) Other Nephrites and Peridots are there and there needs to be a distinction.


	3. Formation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cluster is let out of her bubble and allowed to form.
> 
> An exploration of the Cluster's form.

Earth's Second Moon.

Also known as the Cluster.

Watched over by the Diamonds, plus Steven, in their body-ship, as the boy communicates with the large mass of shards.

"Are you ready to try to form now?"

"Y e s ." The gem replies.

In a brilliant, blinding light, the Cluster's form bubbles forth from her core. The bubbling increases in size nebulously until it reaches a rainbow cloud comparable to Jupiter's moons. Arms, legs, wings, and other unidentifiable limbs jet out from the fluid light like a mosh pit from the deepest parts of hell.

It's terrifying, but beautiful.

The gem is visible as the light shifts to the shape of a face. The arms braid together into long ropey masses while the chest seems to form as it should. From her back, the light takes shape as two long wings (fins?) extending towards the stars. In place of legs, the light forms a long, twisting cone that expands into a multitude of tentacles.

The light fades and the Diamonds pale.

Her skin is an unsettling hue. Her gem, an unblinking, all seeing eye, sits above a jaw that has far too many teeth. Down her arms, too many mouths of too many teeth shift and flow. The wing/fins on it's back extend into long wispy tendrils that bend at abominable angles.

On earth, Peridot poofs from fear as she watches the eldritch gem's form stabilize.

The Cluster lets out a piercing scream as her body glows again, destabilizing into a faintly glowing mass of liquid light. Every gem on Earth froze at the sound of the unholy wail from the gem resting far above the atmosphere, turning their gazes to the sky in fear of things to come.

"H u r t s ." She cries to the void.

Steven hears her cry and remembers something. His healing powers. Mix his healing powers with water and…

"Hey guys, where's the nearest ocean planet?"

The Diamond snaps out of their dazes as they process the question. A look of realization dawns across each of their faces as they guide the body-ship to gently hold the gem, before launching off towards the nearest water world.

◇☆◇

Arriving at the nearest blue planet (not starring David Attenborough), the Diamonds set the Cluster down in one of the large oceans before setting the ship down and getting out.

The Diamonds secrete their essence into the ocean, dyeing the water a rainbow of white, yellow, blue, and pink. The white slowly connecting many minds into one, blue ordering the conflicting emotions, yellow stabilizing a form into the gem, and pink healing the damage and cracks, giving the Cluster a stronger sense of self.

A few minutes pass, and the Diamonds essences haven't spread far enough to do a enough healing. Only a small amount of the surface area of the Cluster is touched by the Diamond's radiant essences.

"This isn't working." Yellow impatiently states.

"Gently, Yellow." Blue sooths, "This is a larger gem than we've ever had to handle before. We just need to be patient."

Steven and White have a silent conversation with their eyes as they try to figure out if there's any way to speed up this process.

"We'd need to be bigger if we wanted to speed this up and get any more essence into the water." Steven starts, "and we are alone, no one here but us and the Cluster." He's not sure why he suggests it, he knows that the Diamonds are why it wasn't allowed in previous eras. 

White chuckles good naturedly.

"What a day for gem kind. The formation of the largest ever gem, and the birth of a new diamond." She says with a hint of amusement in her tone.

Yellow and Blue still briefly before looking down at Steven and back at White.

"White, if you two are suggesting what I think you're suggesting, need I remind you that Steven is significantly shorter than us?" Yellow asks, "How would that even work?"

"Very Carefully." Steven replies with a slight tremble in his voice. She's right, he's so much shorter than the Diamonds. One missed step and he's going to be either dunked underwater, or crushed on top of it.

Welp. If this goes horribly wrong, let it be known that Steven Universe was not a quitter.

"White," Steven starts hesitantly, "I'm ready, I'll try it. Pleasedon'tcrushme." He rushes out the last part before getting in a decent position to give this a genuine attempt. 

Yellow and Blue watch on in bated breath as Steven begins his dance. White leads the dance at a waltz pace as her gem begins to glow. Steven's gem lights up as he goes in for a large spin jump and merges with White in a flash of blinding light. The light of their forms glow a brilliant faint pink color as they stabilize and the new gem appears in their place.

A radiant gem stands where the two once stood, barely taller than White. A long cape adorns her shoulders, flowing in a faint breeze that wasn't there a moment ago. Pale pink starlit patterns adorn her shoulders, sandals seemingly adorned with shimmering rose petals, her nails a swirl of darkest black and pinkest pink. 

"Rose Diamond." The fusion says as a name, dazedly observing her own movements. "Yes, I am Rose Diamond." Her gaze turns to Yellow and Blue, "Your turn."

Blue and Yellow lock eyes for a moment before going in with their own dance. A slow arpeggio waltz of sky blue and solar gold glowing and coming together in a brilliant mass of emerald green as the two diamonds fuse.

◇

Halfway across the galaxy, the Emerald that was once chasing Lars sneezes, despite not knowing what a sneeze is. 

◇

Green Diamond forms where those two stood. Long forest green hair comes to a bow down by her waist, her cloak becomes more militaristic in design, she stands on the same level as White would, if a little taller. Her hands are covered with dark green gloves that go all the way up to her metallic pauldrons.

"One more time." Rose Diamond says gently, slowly.

Rose Diamond twirls Green into the air as their bodies merge and fuse as the final, ultimate diamond fusion comes to be.

Her iridescent skin is a sharp contrast to the blacks and greys of her outfit. Long flowing hair that seems to glow every color of the rainbow splits into five points, two of which interlocking just below the two chest gems. Her pauldrons connect to a massive cape that depicts galaxies swirling, every diamond's once conquered planets glowing their respective color.

Rainbow Diamond stands in place of all the diamonds. She steps back into the water wordlessly and immediately a large area around her is dyed an oily, vibrant rainbow. Significantly more of the giant forced fusion is surrounded and touched by the Diamond's essence than before. The Cluster seems to hum in content with the life flowing into her from the hundred foot tall Diamond fusion.

The Cluster's glow comes to life again as she tries to take form, the wings that adorned her back taking a more angelic appearance, each blue feather tipped with sharp white spikes. Her gem retreats to inside the fluid light, her skin takes a pale pink color that is more appealing to look at than the muscular redish-pink from before. Her lower body forms back into a long skirt of sorts, tentacles like thorned vines flowing in a gentle breeze. Two large arms form like mountainous spires out of the flattest ground.

Her knowing eyes look like galaxies, and the Diamond fusion knows as their eyes lock for a moment that those eyes hold an infinite well of love, grief, pain, and hatred. A gentle monsoon of emotions conveyed in those pupils, absorbing everything like black holes in the endless abyss.

She feels like a lowly child, gazing into the eyes of a God that stands so far above her.

But alas, the Cluster's form glows and retreats to a bubbling mass in a few glitching spasms. Luckily, there's no screaming this time, just a light groan.

Rainbow Diamond breathes out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she thinks, why would the Cluster still be unstable? Did the Diamond essence fail? Did it not take all the way? Or can the Cluster just not decide on a form all the way, so nothing sticks?

"Galaxyshine, perhaps you could try leaving your form in flux, shifting small parts as necessary? Just take your time and your form will come to you, you have as long as you need." The Diamond fusion suggests as she circles the massive gem, leaving her glowing essence surrounding more of the core, healing more and more of the Cluster.

The massive gem tries one more time, slower. Her gem peaks out of her chest this time as she forms her body more carefully. Six arms sprout out of her sides, smaller than the two from the last attempts but just as imposing. 

Four blue feathered wings take form above two membranous magenta ones, glowing faintly. Her lower body reforms as the skirt the width of a small city, gaining layers from which tendrils swirl.

Her form stabilizes, and she takes the Diamond's advice to leave a few parts in flux as her wings continue to glow gently.

"Wow…" Rainbow reflexively whispers in awe at the sight of the majestic giant. She gently touches an arm of the behemoth of a Gem and asks one question.

"Better now?"

The Cluster trains her eyes on Rainbow, before she takes a few steps back and begins to try out this new form.

Her wings flap hard, and storms swell.

Her arms sprout tendrils that wrap around the Diamond's body-ship as she gently picks it up and examines it.

Her lower body ripples as she rises out of the ocean, wrapping the thorned tentacles around the skirt as she creates a platform of ice beneath both of the Gems.

Flames lick across her arms as a helmet forms atop her head. As she moves, the world moves with her. The multitude of gems that made her give her power unimaginable and an arsenal innumerable in this complete form.

She is a God among Gems.

With the voice of a thousand angels, the Cluster speaks in genuine.

"Thank you."

Rainbow smiles.

"Then let's go home."

◇☆◇

The Diamonds arrive back on Earth first, heading towards the site where the Cluster was planted. The gems working on the town of Clustemoth pause as they see the diamond's ship, but no Cluster. Out from the body-ship steps the still fused Rainbow Diamond as Garnet smiles impossibly wide.

Some gems out of reflex stand at attention performing the diamond salute at the sight of the 4 gem fusion. Rainbow raises as placating hand, silently requesting all gems to be at ease.

"Gems, Humans, Fusions, lend me your ears." Rainbow starts, catching everyone's attention, "Today is a marvelous day for all kinds, as today we have succeeded in giving the Cluster form!"

"But where is she?" Bismuth asks, confused.

As if on cue, a light shined down from the heavens behind Rainbow Diamond, causing the unprepared to shield their eyes. From that light, the angelic looking Cluster descends to meet her fellow gems.

Peridot, who recently reformed, collapses backwards on the ground at the sight of the healed Cluster. Spinel, having no sense of self preservation, jumps up and hugs the gargantuan gem. Greg, who's just there helping out wherever he can and doing his best, kneels in respect for the Gem.

Bismuth breaks into a cold sweat imagining how large a house for that gem would have to be.

A few gems approach the Cluster and circle her base, creating a rough size for the warp pad they want to add to the final gem city.

Rainbow Diamond, seeing her work complete, nodded and unfused. Steven starts to fall, but is quickly caught by the Cluster. He looks into her eyes and starts to chuckle out a thank you.

And the Cluster smiles a gentle smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figure the gems can speak to each other in the vacuum of space via some weird process of emitting a small field towards who they want to speak to with their gems. Kinda like filling the vacuum just enough for sound waves to carry. I figure it would tint the area around the gem faintly whatever color they were, and it's not an active process. Steven floating around in his bubble has air, he drops it, vacuum, he puts it back up and has air. I think that's how the scene goes anyways, been a while.
> 
> Also I love David Attenborough's narration. He's just so good.
> 
> The Diamond fusion is in there for no reason other than I wanted to have it be there. White is like 50 feet tall fusing with a 5 foot tall Steven and that image is hilarious to me. Also water walking is a gem power so convenient dance floor is convenient.
> 
> I have no idea how to write fusion dances, but I figured the Diamonds would be very waltzy. 
> 
> Every barbule of the Cluster's feathers in her final form is roughly the size of a human arm. That gem is gargantuan.


	4. Home (Family pt.1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cluster needs a home, and she's at least part Bismuth.
> 
> An exploration of the Cluster's powerset.

News of the Cluster's forming spread fast across the Gem Empire. Gems from far and wide arrive on Earth just to meet the loving relic that was created in Era 2, but only able to form in Era 3. Several gems feel like they have gazed upon the form of God herself, and others feeling a deep sense of dread at the size of the gem.

But the Cluster was homeless. Even in past Eras of gem history, every gem had somewhere to call home, even if it was just their hole. Her hole is out of the question, it was far too small for a gem of her size. It would be far too tight of a fit for a gem of her significant girth, she'd ruin it if she tried to fully enter the little cavern. She needed much, much more area to work with.

Sure, she could build herself a house her size on Earth easily, there are so many bismuth chunks inside her core that it would be nothing to shift the tools and parts around as necessary. But where would she put one? A house her size would take up the same amount of space as a city, that won't do at all.

So she set off towards space. Levitating off the ground until she reached a safe enough distance into space, then with a hefty flap of the wings, she took off in search of a world to call home. Star system after star system she searched, looking for a large enough planet that she could comfortably have a place to rest.

A few weeks later, and her efforts were fruitless on finding a planet, but her mind kept wandering to the blue planet she first formed on. A star system devoid of kindergartens, with three gas giants, the water world, and…

Asteroids. Tons of asteroids.

An idea pops into her united mind. If she can't find a planet suitable for a home, could she build one?

She sets off on her new goal with a grin gracing her ever shifting features.

☆◇☆

A few gems across the stars wondered anxiously, would their gems ever be whole again?

Sure, Yellow fixed their physical forms and everything works right as rain, but there's still parts of their gem that are missing.

Some of those parts are in the Cluster.

☆◇☆

Using the powers at her disposal, she calls the asteroids towards her with a combination of Geokinesis and Telekinesis and begins to form her own little homeworld. A few nearby ships take notice of the moving masses and begin to record the Cluster at work.

Once satisfied with the size of her planet, she set the rest of the asteroids aside to form the moons of her little paradise. The planet itself is an extra third the size of the largest gas giant in the system, which itself is a slight bit smaller than Jupiter, but she wants space to explore everything.

Her planet's three moons range from Mercury to Mars in size.

With some more of her plethora of powers, she calls one of the gas giants over to her little world and forms the beginnings of her planet's atmosphere. She decompresses the core of the gas giant into a larger sphere and sends that into the planet.

"To the gem ships watching me build my world, would one of you be able to test my planet's atmosphere?" She gently asks, projecting a small amount of light mass as a gas to carry the sound. Immediately, three ships head down to the planet's surface to gather data. She gently smiles in amusement.

"Cluster, the planet has a Homeworld-like atmosphere." One of the captaining Nephrites responds, "Why are you attempting to create an atmosphere, though?"

"I have those who I wish to invite over." The Cluster hums gracefully, "I would like to put in a request for plants and water to be added to my planet's surface. Such a beautiful world could only be made more beautiful with some color, no?"

"But what about the water planet in this system?"

"It is special to me, I wish to keep it as is."

"Understood. What will you call the planet, ma'am?"

"Univen Diamantes," The Cluster replies after a moment of thought, "After my creators and healer."

☆◇☆

As the request for plant life to be added to a strange planet named "Univen Diamantes" in the "Cluster System" reached Homeworld, the conflicted and incomplete gems thought for a moment. If their missing shards have become one with the Cluster, maybe they could do well to live wherever the Cluster lives.

☆◇☆

Steven woke up that day wondering where the Cluster went off to about a month ago.

Little did he expect to get a message broadcast across the Gem Galactic Network, GGN, requesting for plant life to be brought to a new planet, Univen Diamantes.

Weird, he doesn't remember any star systems not being named after the Diamonds. All the ones he had heard of had a Diamond's color, a number, followed by the planet name.

Faintly, in the distance, he can tell Peridot got the news from her squeal of joy. Good for her.

Well, he's got a garden with some plants to spare, he might as well check out this "Univen Diamantes" planet. Maybe then he can figure out why it sounds so familiar.

He grabs a few plants from his garden that he doesn't have much room for anymore and takes them over to the city-in-progress, Clustemoth. At the city that is mostly built, Emerald's Destiny Destroyer is docked, taking all small plant donations. She never did get the Sun Incinerator back, but she did end up in a committed relationship with Lars, so that worked out for her in the end. Gems never die of aging and Lars…

Steven grimaces, Lion doesn't look like they're going to go down anytime soon and Lars was hit with the same stuff only a couple years ago, Lion was hit with it a few thousand years ago.

Problems for later. Plants for Univen now.

Steven approaches Emerald with his plants and is directed to where he needs to go.

☆◇☆

The Destiny Destroyer arrives at the Cluster system and Steven immediately recognizes one of the planets, the ocean planet where with the Diamonds he healed the Cluster.

A faint glimmer of light sheens off of the stony planet's surface as a plethora of gem ships come and go with the gift of plant life. The planet rapidly becoming more and more green, teeming with life. A few Lapis Lazuli have moved oceans from their abandoned planets and onto the surface of Univen Diamantes.

When Emerald's ship lands, Steven places his plants with the rest of them and leaps off towards the Cluster with more questions than answers. Controlling his pink state willingly has been a difficult task, but he's managed so far.

Long distance leaps in his Pink state, however?

He soars through the air as majestically as an alcoholic eagle on a bad acid trip(or a very good one depending on who you ask). His oh so gracious flight is cut short when he smashes his body straight into the Cluster's waiting hand.

"Welcome to Univen Diamantes, Steven Universe." She chuckled softly. Her many all-knowing eyes seem to bore into his very soul, while also looking at him like a patient mother to her child.

It makes him feel uncomfortably comfortable. He feels impossibly small, but impossibly safe. In her hand that holds him, she forms a smaller version of herself for Steven to more easily interact with.

"Cluster," Steven starts, slightly dazed from his rough landing, "What is all this?"

"Even gems as large as I need a home, Steven" The smaller corm of the Cluster says humorously, "As I could not find a home to call my own, I made one from the asteroids of the system you healed me in."

"You made this?!" Steven asks, stunned. He figured the Cluster would be powerful, but to create a whole planet, and a large one like this?

Reading his expression, the Cluster answers questions not asked.

"I am a very powerful gem, young one. Your healing has made me into what I am today, you have my eternal gratitude. You even inspired the name of my home, Steven."

Her smaller form brings Steven into a gentle hug, cradling his head in her shoulder, that surprises him, but deep in his soul, he feels a weight removed that he didn't know was there.

☆◇☆

A Nephrite drop ship lands on a nearby mountain to the Cluster. From it, many varied gems exit, anxiously looking up at the gigantic gem. All of them are having the same line of thoughts. Does she recognize them? What will she think of them?

The Cluster looks down at them before extending a hand downward to bring them closer to her face. A gentle smile graces her features as she speaks to the worried gems.

"Welcome home, gems once whole and family mine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many gems have levitation powers that I figure, in a complete and whole Cluster, they'd all stack.
> 
> An extra third the size = The size + a third. I felt that was a weird way of wording but I also didn't know how else to say how big that planet is without breaking out a bunch of numbers. I doubt people read stories about magic space rock lesbians for the math lessons.
> 
> Also with how many gems the Cluster is made of, I feel like I can get away with just saying she can do basically anything. How many off-colors got put into her? Padparadsha has a delayed Future Vision, which could be read as Retrocognition in some ways maybe, so really anything is fair game.
> 
> At this point she's a Cosmokinetic Demigod and also Steven's Largest Maternal Figure.


	5. Zeolite (Family pt.2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cluster is lonely one day, and one day decides to try being a parent.
> 
> A brief exploration of gem reproduction.

The Cluster was lonely.

As the only gem of her kind, how could she not be?

Sure she had her friends, she had the gems that were used to make her that were pieced back together, she has plenty of company.

In her mind, she's never truly alone, but that is all her at the end of the day.

She still felt like she was missing something. All those other gems weren't like her, none of them are. If only she could make gems that were like her, then maybe she wouldn't feel so lonely anymore.

She has friends, but she has no family.

Recreating the circumstances of her creation is out of the question, so what should she do?

Diamond essence is used to create every gem, from an emerald to a pearl, mostly all centered in a base of Silicon or Aluminum. A base is injected into the soil, followed by the Diamond essence which gives the gem its shape and form, while also sucking in particles from the soil to make the gem into whatever gem is desired. As a consequence, the planet is left barren of organic life.

But does it have to be a diamond's essence? Do all gems make an essence like that?

She finds a lake on her little slice of heaven and tries to release an essence, similar to how the Diamonds do.

The water changes to look like a dark, oily, iridescent rainbow.

She needs an injector.

And she knows just the gem to ask.

☆◇☆

"Spinel, dear, you have a caller." White Diamond calls from the other room.

Spinel dances over to the communicator and turns it on, accepting the call.

"Hellooo stranger!" She sings into the call with her eyes closed. When she opens them, she sees the Cluster looking at her amusedly, "Woah! Was not expecting a call from you, how are ya?"

"I am fine, Spinel."

"So, what brings ya to callin my humble abode?"

"You brought an injector to Earth that one time." The Cluster starts, "I would like to know where you found one."

"You uh, do know that Steven stopped all gem colonization, right?" Spinel asks, confused and slightly worried.

"Oh no, no." The Cluster chuckles, "I just wished to try something on one of my planet's moons."

It is at this moment, White Diamond walks in, having overheard the entire conversation.

"What are you planning to try?" The tallest Diamond asks.

"Diamond essence is used to make and heal gems," The Cluster starts off, "But what about other gem's essences? I can make an essence, so would I be able to create my own gems?"

White Diamond pauses, that is a good question. The only real way to find out is to try it, and there are plenty of asteroids in that system. Surely Steven wouldn't mind a few injectors disappearing from storage for a little while.

☆◇☆

White Diamond arrives on Univen Diamantes in her head ship, how she flies that is a secret classified above most gems' clearance levels.

Regardless of how she flies the ship, she lands on the surface of the planet in the designated landing zone while Spinel gracefully crashes into one of the moons. Her landing, while it leaves much to be desired, leaves the injectors unharmed.

"Welcome, radiant White Diamond, to my humble planet." The Cluster greets.

"I gracefully accept your welcome, glimmering Cluster." White Diamond responds with practiced ease. Being the head matriarch of a species for thousands upon thousands of years will give anyone droves of experience greeting important figures. "I hope this cycle finds you well."

"It certainly has found me well, are the injectors in place on one of the moons?"

"They are."

"Excellent, then the tests shall begin immediately."

And begin they did. The Cluster holds White Diamond carefully as she takes off towards the moon she saw a dust cloud form on when White landed, she assumes that's where Spinel is.

When they arrive, she sets White down on the surface and summons her geokinetic powers that she used to form this moon once again. She calls the stone to form a smooth cylindrical pillar in front of them for the Injectors to take hold on. In every injector, she fills their tanks with her essence.

Carefully, she moves the injectors into position and, using knowledge she inherited from the peridots that were used to make her, activates them.

Now all that is left is to wait.

☆◇☆

Time passes. She's not certain how long she's waited but the time of emergence is soon, she can feel their gems being ready.

A salmon pink gem with an antique cushion cut suddenly bursts from the ground in a forceful explosion of dirt and dust. Her size is that of the original Pink Diamond, at roughly thirteen feet tall.

The first Chabazite has been born.

Her body takes a large muscular form, her gem rests in her navel, her top is adorned with a pink star insignia resting inside a rainbow swirl. Her hair sits divided into four points atop her head, slicked back.

White Diamond is busy making notes off to the side as she watches with Spinel. The same Spinel that immediately runs up to the new gem and gives her an excessively large hug.

Slowly, but surely, more gems begin emerging from the moon's surface. A beige-pink gem cut in a cabochon style emerges alongside a trillion cut grey-violet gem, a green spotted princess cut alongside a clear pampel cut, so on until all the planted gems have emerged.

Eventually all the gems from that makeshift kindergarten have emerged, all standing in front of their gem mother patiently waiting for her to address them.

"Children of my light," The Cluster sweetly croons, "You are the beginnings of a wondrous new paradigm, an age of prosperity for all gems. Welcome to Era 3, my darling starshines."

Looking down at the awestruck faces of her children, she felt the weight of her loneliness fade away.

Yes, this is exactly what she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figure a lot of the Cluster's children would be Zeolites, because from the basic research I did, a fair number of them are Calcium Aluminium Silicates with a bunch of other chemical bits and pieces involved. I figure with all the gems that were used that plenty of "defective" Pearls were thrown in there to add to the Calcium content.
> 
> Also a lot of them have a bit of pink in their descriptions, like the color of the Cluster as a whole.
> 
> I might do a story where I put together all my headcanons about Gem Placement, Gem Instruments(Pearl's themes being pianos, etc), Gem Powers(mostly kinetic stuff for simplicity sake), and Gem Size into one nice, neat structure. "Gem Lessons" I might call it.
> 
> For reference, I figure Pink Diamond would be about 4 meters tall, Yellow and Blue being double that, and White being a bit above them but not fully double in height(13 meters tall, ish). 
> 
> Zeolite Family: 
> 
> Leucite(Grey, Radiant cut), 
> 
> Pollucite(Grey/Blue/Violet, Trillion cut), 
> 
> Harmotome(White/Light Brown, Cabochon), 
> 
> Amicite(Colorless, 8 Face Diamond/Point Cut), 
> 
> Mesolite(White, Rectangular Octagon Cut), 
> 
> Scolecite(Clear with Green Spots, Princess cut), 
> 
> Eddingtonite(Grey Pink, Baguette cut), 
> 
> Thomsonite(Beige Pink, Cabochon cut), 
> 
> Gismondine(Clear, Pampel cut), 
> 
> Chabazite (Salmon Pink, Antique Cushion cut)


	6. Giving Thanks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven visits the Cluster while on his trip around the world and the Cluster tells him something important.

Steven hasn't heard much from the Cluster lately. She's been off on her own little world while the city of Clustemoth has been growing substantially. In fact, a few more gem cities have begun construction on Earth. After Clustemoth, the small town of Barantite where Peridot's and Lapis' barn originally stood began construction, a more suburban town for the gems that want to be a little more away from the hustling bustle of Little Homeworld.

A few gems went off towards the Antarctic and discovered an abandoned alien city in the snow. Steven really wants to know what the story behind that one is, according to the crew that went there first, it has no gem architecture at all to it.

Ancient alien cities aside, things have been going well on Earth. Steven turns his head to the night stars and takes it all in. He started his road trip about a month ago, keeping up with all of his therapy appointments regularly, and visiting Lars occasionally. The distance has done him well, but he does miss the gems, very few of them wind up this far out of their settlements.

One gem he is particularly curious about is the Cluster.

The thousand gem forced fusion has found her own identity, built her own world, and after that, he hasn't heard anything about her. She is only a warp pad away, and while the nearest warp is about a day out of the way, it's definitely manageable in his schedule. He's so glad Connie had the idea to make it adjustable on the fly.

He sets his sights in the direction of the Beta Kindergarten and heads off.

☆◇☆

He arrives at the Beta Kindergarten with plenty of time to just take in the sight of the sandstone. The place is just as empty as he remembers it, just as lifeless as it was when Jasper corrupted here those years ago.

He doesn't want to, but he knows he needs to talk to his therapist about Jasper more. Dr. Maheswaran caught his therapist up on a bunch of gem stuff, saving him the trouble of having to explain the weird gem magic behind, well, gems. They've talked about the Diamonds and his mom, as well as the Crystal Gem B Team of Bismuth, Lapis, and Peridot, but Jasper is an issue he keeps not being willing to talk about.

He needs to, he knows it. He just really, really doesn't want to.

Pushing that train of thought to the side, he finds the familiar sight of the Beta Kindergarten warp, or as Bismuth calls it, the Beta Jump.

Taking a leap from the Beta Jump, he focuses on Univen Diamantes and the beam of light takes him there. When he arrives at the planet's Galaxy Warp, he spots the Cluster's Ziggurat off in the distance against the contrast of the endless abyss of night. In the days since the planet was made, her Ziggurat has been one of the most visited places in the galaxy, a clear golden monument to recovery from a great trauma. Just as the monument to the damage of regret can be found in Clustemoth, her Ziggurat stands as a monument of recovery.

He finds himself standing at the base of the massive structure. Crystal spires of shimmering silver stand tall in all corners of the structure, their rainbow tips proving light against the endless dark of the night sky. Unfamiliar constellations dot the abyss and provide a welcome sight. A crisp breeze flows through his hair as he stands at the base of the Cluster's home, watching as gems from all walks of life climb the three staircases into the upper levels of the Ziggurat.

The sight fills him with a sense of hope. The Cluster was made through a long series of traumatic, terrifying, and damaging events, but in the end, beyond all of it, she came out a survivor.

He makes his ascent, noticing a few unfamiliar types of gem hanging out casually on the various levels. While he was busy reforming Homeworld policies, the Diamonds made it a point for him to learn every type of gem in the empire. He figures that they're either fusions or that someone used an old injector to make new gems. If it's the latter, he needs to talk to the gem that authorized that operation, find out exactly why they went behind the backs of the current rules of the Authority.

At the top of the structure sits the Cluster's home, her throne atop a world of her own design. The room itself is lined with flora and fauna of all types, plant life from countless planets adorning the walls. Light pours in from the stained glass windows and a faint, cool mist can be felt in the air.

Her many eyes turn towards the gem that gave her the ability to heal. For so long she resented Yellow Diamond for what she did, still she does resent the yellow gem, but along came Steven and his inability to not help others. She never felt whole before that day, desperately tearing at herself to try to find the rest of her various pieces. When he came along, it was like a slap in the face that she really needed.

She wasn't whole, and at the time it was likely that she would never be the gems she was again. But she was her, and she is never alone. She may have been missing several pieces of herself, but she made peace with that. The damage was done, all that could happen then was for her to move forward.

So she did.

Over the years since the Diamonds first arrived on Earth, she spent that time coming to grips with her new self. They became her, and she has immeasurable amounts of love to give. Love and care is what brought her together, so love and care is what she gives to others.

As her many eyes lock onto her healer, she smiles a gentle smile.

"I never did thank you for everything, did I? She muses aloud, "I truly owe you everything, little Universe."

She lowers one of her hands to the floor and he hops on.

"You saved me," She continues on, "For thousands of years I sat, scared and confused and furious within your planet's crust. It took me years to accept who I am, even after your aid, but here I am now, happy with life."

"Steven, I thank you for everything you have done for me. You are my savior, and in your times of need, I will always be there for you. Even when you fell into your mind and your body became your deepest thoughts, I was there for you, as I shall continue to be in the future."

"You lost yourself that day, just as I had lost myself long before." She muses with a chuckle, "I guess it is only fitting how those chapters of our stories aligned. The one who saved many, and the many who saved one."

"I thank you, child and savior mine."


	7. Myths and Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A 5+1 of Myths about the Cluster that are told throughout the galaxies.

1) Savior

There are many stories told across the galaxies of the Cluster.

Among those who know of her, some tell of her kindness and power as if she was the destined savior of gemkind. They tell that when a great cataclysm strikes, she will stand and fight for the sake of all gems.

Not even the Diamonds stand on her grand level of power, her all seeing eyes knowing all sins, her all knowing mind giving out judgements to all those that oppose what is right. They worship her as savior, the right hand of the Diamonds and Era Three's core.

She is the sword and shield of the empire. May her sword be true and her judgements merciful. 

◇☆◇

2) Destroyer

Among the gems that know of her creation, some fear her as the great destroyer.

Her power is unmatched in all the galaxies, when she grows tired of this world they tell that she will destroy all to create her perfect universe. A utopia for those in her good graces, her destruction of all will be a great cleanse to reality.

The fanatics build deep temples in her honour, worshiping her as the destroyer of all whose judgement shall be quick and punishments severe.

Not even the Diamonds could stand to her divine wrath. She is a god who rules of fear, their world merely her plaything.

She is the cataclysm, the endless well of power that shall destroy the world when she grows tired of it.

All they can hope is she never grows bored of them.

◇☆◇

3) Benevolent God

Among some gems that have met her, they see her as a benevolent god among gems.

Her aura is one of absolute power, greater than even the Diamonds. To be in her presence, to have her eyes focused on you for even a moment, is to feel insignificantly tiny. To observe her power is to observe the work of the divine, bending the world to her very whims.

Her fortune telling is the most vivid in all the galaxies of the gempire, her abilities the most varied. Her all seeing eyes and all knowing mind hold the deepest of wisdoms and secrets.

Any gem able to make White Diamond feel small is a gem worth some kind of respect.

In her eyes, an infinite well of love and pain can be seen, even by the smallest pebble.

◇☆◇

4) The Mother of Gems

Some gems pay visit to Univen Diamantes to pay respects to the Cluster, believing her to be the progenitor of all gems, returned through mysterious means.

The all powerful, all loving, and all seeing gem mother.

They believe that her Will created the Diamonds before she continued on her endless cosmic journey. None could tell where she went, none could tell why, but to many gems, the true, great mother of gems rests on a world of her design.

Many gems from all corners of the stars flock to her for her grand wisdom, her Zeolites managing the process and providing their own wisdom in her stead, if the matter did not require her. Of the gems that would meet her, they would all learn a single truth.

The patience of the gem mother is infinite.

She will always love them.

◇☆◇

5) Grand Protector

Some gems that know her see her as the grand protector of gem kind. They see the world she created and bent to her will and are filled with a safety immeasurable.

They tell of a great conflict that shall arise in the future. None know when, but all know who. They tell of the final push against the Xothans, the final strike against their leader. They say that at that battle, the Cluster will stand tall in front of gemkind as their sword, as their shield.

They tell of the species that was warred with gemkind for so long falling before her great power. The war that has shattered many good gems ending definitively in a grand final battle of cosmic proportions.

They tell of her divine powers striking down Xothan ships with a snap of her fingers, a single slice of her sword rending stars in two, her shield an indestructible barrier behind which gemkind will flourish.

The fierceness of the Grand Protector of gemkind would stand before the Xothans' unholy leader, the unnatural affront to cosmic order.

In that strange aeon, even death may die.

◇☆◇

6) The Cluster's Reaction to these myths.

The Cluster has heard all of these stories, and she smiles patiently at every gem that honours her as a higher power. She was, is, and always will be just a gem.

To be revered the way she is makes her feel wonderful. To have statues and murals carved in her name fills here with a sense of importance.

To be called a Destroyer breaks her heart, but she understands why they do. She loves all gems, she knows what it is like to hurt and wants none to feel that pain.

She swears on her gem that she will protect, that she will guide gemkind to a bright future as that little pink gem did for her so many years ago.

Without Steven, she would be stuck in an endless torment in the depths of the Earth, broken and frightened. She will never be whole like she was once, but she is a new whole. She is more than she ever was.

Yes, it is a great tragedy that she exists in the way she does at all, but she has made peace with it. With the care of others by her side, she will continue to grow and heal, many as one, the one who is many. She will never be alone, in herself and her world.

And she owes it all to that little pink gem that saved her so long ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was a fun ride, this is the first major fic of mine that I've actually finished. So that's exciting.
> 
> I want to do more with the Cluster in the future, but for now I feel like I've told the stories I want to tell.
> 
> Please, leave a comment, I accept all feedback on all my works. I want to grow and improve as a writer, so please, any feedback is welcomed!
> 
> I'm also taking requests in the comments for fics for BNHA, Steven Universe, Dragon Ball, Undertale, Star Trek, and the Cthulhu Mythos.
> 
> If you have anything you particularly want to see, tell me! I'll see what I can do for it!


End file.
